Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Hun er blid i dag, og heldigvis er sjefen blid også. - She is cheerful today, and luckily the boss is cheerful too.

Norwegian main clauses follow the verb-second (V2) rule. If you put something (like the adverb heldigvis) first, the finite verb (er) must be the second element:

Correct: Heldigvis (1) er (2) sjefen (3) blid (4).
Wrong: Heldigvis sjefen er blid.

Where else can I put heldigvis?

Start of the clause (strong emphasis on the whole statement): Heldigvis er sjefen blid.
Midfield after subject and verb (very common): Sjefen er heldigvis blid.
Sentence-final as an afterthought: Sjefen er blid, heldigvis.

Why is there a comma before og?

Because it links two independent main clauses: Hun er blid i dag and heldigvis er sjefen blid også. In Norwegian, you normally put a comma between two independent clauses joined by og when each has its own subject and verb.

Can i dag move to the front?

Yes: I dag er hun blid. Remember V2: when i dag is first, er must be second. Wrong would be: “I dag hun er blid.”

Is i dag one word or two?

Two words: i dag. Similarly: i går (yesterday), i morgen (tomorrow). Writing “idag” is non-standard in modern Bokmål.

Can I say Hun er glad i dag instead of blid?

Yes, but glad is “happy,” stronger than blid (“cheerful/pleasant”). Be careful: glad i means “fond of/likes/loves,” e.g., Hun er glad i deg = “She is fond of you.”

Where should også go, and does placement change meaning?

Neutral: Sjefen er også blid. (The boss is also cheerful.)
End-focused/informal: Sjefen er blid også. (…cheerful too/as well.)
Subject focus: Også sjefen er blid. (The boss too is cheerful.)
Strong “even”: use Til og med: Til og med sjefen er blid.

What’s the difference between også and og så?

også = also/too. Example: Hun drikker også kaffe.
og så = and then/and so. Example: Hun drakk kaffe, og så dro hun.

What’s the difference between og and å?

og = and. Example: Hun og sjefen.
å = to (infinitive marker). Example: å være (to be). They can sound similar; don’t mix them in writing.

Why is it sjefen (definite) instead of en sjef?

Sjefen means “the boss,” assumed to be identifiable in context (e.g., the workplace boss). Forms:

en sjef = a boss
sjefen = the boss
sjefer = bosses
sjefene = the bosses

Can I avoid repeating blid in the second clause?

Yes. Use the prop-word det:

Hun er blid i dag, og heldigvis er sjefen det også. (= “…and luckily the boss is, too.”)

How do you pronounce these words?

Approximate guide (varies by region):

Hun: like “hoon” but with a fronted u-sound.
er: like “air” but short (“ehr”).
blid: often like “blee” (the d is usually silent); sounds like bli (“become”).
sjefen: “SHEH-fen” (the sj is a “sh” sound).
heldigvis: “HEL-di-vees.”
og: often just “oh” (the g is often silent).
også: commonly “OKS-aw” (the g+s sound like “ks,” and å is like the vowel in “law,” shorter).

Does blid change form?

Yes, like most adjectives.

Attributive (before a noun): en blid mann, ei blid kvinne, et blidt barn, blide venner.
Predicative (after “er/blir”): Mannen er blid, Barnet er blidt, Barna er blide.

Where does ikke go in a sentence like this?

In main clauses, ikke comes after the finite verb:

Hun er ikke blid i dag.
With a fronted adverb: Heldigvis er ikke sjefen sur.
Midfield adverb + ikke: Sjefen er heldigvis ikke sur.

What’s the difference between Hun and henne? And what about ho?

Hun = she (subject). Example: Hun er blid.
henne = her (object). Example: Jeg ser henne.
ho = “she” in many dialects and in Nynorsk; standard Bokmål uses hun.